Engine ignition means



' Nov. 19, 1940. w. L. NAWMAN 2,222,441

' ENGINE IGNITION MEANS Original Filed Feb. 17, 1939 INVENTOR.

William L. Newman BY- A TTORNEY Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE Original application February 17, 1939, Serial No.256,906. Divided and this application April 5,

1940, Serial No. 327,947

3 Claims.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No.256,906, filed February 17, 1939 for Engine ignition means.

The invention relates to internal combustion 5 engines and moreparticularly to an ignition means for internal combustion engines.

An object of the invention is to provide an ignition means for aninternal combustion engine which may be embodied as a sturdy, integralpart of the engine with all of the parts thereof confined entirely tothe engine cylinder and operated automatically by the movement of theengine piston to the head end of the cylinder without the use of anyexternal mechanical or electrical parts as heretofore customarily reliedupon for igniting the compressed gas in the engine cylinder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and effectiveignition means of the char-' acter above which will provide a uniformfiring of the compressed gas throughout the entire combustion space ofthe cylinder! The invention'possesses other objects and feai) tures ofadvantage, some of which, with the foregoing. will be set forth in thefollowing description of the preferred form of the invention which isillustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of thespecification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in theshowing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted withinthe scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawing the single figure is a ertical sectional viewof a part of an internal combustion engine embodying an ignition meansconstructed in accordance with the present invention.

The ignition means of the present invention consists briefly in theprovision of a chamber in the engine in communication with the enginecylinder and into and from which is reciprocated an auxiliary pistonwhich causes the compression and ignition of gases within the chamber,where-v upon the ignited gases are passed into the engine cylinder toeffect an ignition of the gases therein. In accordance with the presentinvention the aforementioned relative reciprocal movement of the chamberand auxiliary piston is effected in timed relation to the movement ofthe engine piston, whereby ignition will take place substantially at atop dead center position of the engine piston in the customary manner.Also, the chamber and auxiliary piston are so formed as' to cause auniform discharge of the ignited products entirely throughout thecombustion space of the engine cylinder, thereby effecting a mostcomplete and effective ignition of the compressed charge of fuel in thecylinder.

With reference more specifically to the accom,

panying drawing, the engine and ignition means;

therein depicted comprise an engine casing 6 providing an internalengine cylinder 1 and formed with suitable inlet and discharge passageswith valves therein (not shown) for intake of fuel into the cylinder anddischarge of spent products therefrom. The engine used in combi nationwith the present device may operate upon either a two or four strokeoperating cycle, Mounted within the cylinder 1 is an engine piston l3which reciprocates to and from the head 14 of 15 the cylinder to operateon the gases in the cylinder in accordance with the cycle of operationof the engine. I

The ignition means of the. present invention comprises an auxiliarychamber [6 which is arranged in communication with the engine cylinderand a plug member or auxiliary piston; I! which is adapted for movementinto and from the chamber to compress explosive gases in the chamber toa self-igniting pressure and drive means is provided for causing therelative reciprocal movement of the member I1 and the chamber IS intimed relation to the movement of the engine piston l3, so as to causean ignition oi the gases at a proper time in the operating cycle.

In the embodiment of the invention as herein illustrated, the chamber l6and the member I!v are provided on the engine casing and-piston'so, thatthe reciprocation of the member ll into and out of the chamber will beeffected in proper timed relation to the movement of the engine pistonitself, and without the use of any interven- 1 ing drive mechanism. Asseen in the figure, the chamber I6 is provided in the head end of theengine casing, while the member I! is provided on the piston. j

The chamber !6, as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, is ofgenerally cylindrical shape and is provided with a reduced neck portionI9 at the open end thereof. This latter portion is preferably ofcylindrical form and adapted for a sliding fit with a cylinder headportion 2| on the member ll, whereby such head portion on engagementthrough the neck I 9 will cause a compression of the gases, containedWithin the chamber. In accordance with the present construction, thehead portion 2| has an axial length somewhat less than that of thechamber and is positioned immediately ahead of a reduced membe portion22, whereby upon movement of the head 2| completely into the chamber asillustrated in the figure, the portion 22 will become ucts within thechamber.

aligned with the neck I 9, so as to'define an annular passage betweentheportion 22 and the neck for the cylindrical discharge of the ignitedprod- As will be understood, the head portion 2! of the auxiliary piston21 is of suffi cient length relative to the length of thechamber-and'thevolume of the chamber to cause a compression of the fuelgases therein to the point of self-ignition, whereby upon movement ofthe head portion 2i past the neck it), such ignited gases will beallowed to pass around the.

head 2| and out through the annular passage defined between the neck l9and the reduced portion 22. In this manner a substantiallyicontinuoussheet of fire is discharged fro'm'the ignitionmeans into all partsof'the combustion 2b chamber. Preferably, the axis of thechamber I6 andthatof the member I! is coincident with the central axis of the enginecylinder, whereby the discharge of the ignited productswill be -mosteffectively distributed throughout the cornbustion space of the enginecylinder andcompletely'across the headend of the piston.

The chamber I6 is formed'inanjinsertedpiece 21 which is set in anopening 28: in the cylinder head and secured in place by means of alock- .Washer 293 and'nut 3| engaged with a threaded portion of theins'ert'at theouter' side of the cas ing. The auxiliary-piston memberl'l' is attached to the piston l3 for movement therewithand is connectedto the head end 32 of-"thejpiston 'in a curved conical base'33 whichconnects the head end 32 of the piston to the reduced portion 22 of theauxiliary piston. "The compressed ignited gases discharged from thechamber-l6 flow downwardly from the chamber in a continuous ring" offire and strike the downwardly andoutwa'rdly curved surface"33,"whereby'the ignited gases are spread uniformly acrossthe entire combustion p eof the enginecylinder and across'the head end of the piston. 1

I I'claim: F

f 1. In combination with an internal combos tion engine havinga'cylinder and a reciprocating piston therein and fuel'inlet anddischarge means connected to said-cylinder, means communicated with saidcylinder and providinga compression "chamber formed with a smoothinternal cylindrical wall and a cylindrical passage of reducedareaopening to said cylinder, a second piston mounted'for reciprocation intoand from said chamber through said passage and being of cylindricalfirst piston.

2. An ignition means for an internal combustion engine comprising, achamber in communi cation with the cylinder of the engine and having areduced open portion, a piston engageable in said chamber to compressand ignite gases therein and 1 having an enlarged head portion having asliding fit with said chamber reduced portion, said piston head portionhaving a length less'than said chamber so as to move completely intosaid chamber and uncover said reduced portionto thereby afford anannular discharge passage for the escape of the gases compressed in saidchamber, said chamber and piston head portion beingformed to define auniformannular space around said head portion in said chamber, and meanscausing a relative reciprocal movement of said piston and chamber intimed relation to the movement of the piston of the engine. 3

3. An internal combustion engine comprising, an engine casing providinga cylinder, a piston reciprocally mountedin said cylinder, said casingbeing formed with a chamber at the head end of said cylinder-having itsaxis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder and having areduced open portion opening into said cylinder,

and a member carried bysaid piston and projecting longitudinallytherefrom in substantially coaxialrelation with said chamber and havinga portion engageablein said chamber and having i a sliding fit with saidchamber reduced portion to compress andignite gases in said chamber, 1

said member being reduced in cross-sectional area adjacent said memberportion and at a position to register with said reduced chamber portionto'provide an annular passage for the discharge of; gases fromsaidchamber, said member having a conical base portion connected to saidpiston for uniformly spreading the gases discharged from said annularpassage across-the end of the piston.

' WILLIAM L. NAWMAN.

